eship and me to the lee side of the cabin. We picked ourselves up,
and rushed to the companion ladder, but it was upset.

While we were endeavouring to replace it, I heard Tom's voice shouting--

"Cut, lads, cut!"

Just as he had uttered the words, a succession of crashes reached our
ears, and the brig righted with a suddenness and force which threw us
off our legs. We quickly, however, had the ladder replaced, and sprang
up on deck. We found that both the masts had been carried away by the
board and were trailing alongside. Tom Pim was holding on to the
starboard bulwarks, while Jack Patchett was at the helm, steering the
brig before the gale. None of the men appeared to have been lost or
injured, but were standing forward, looking very much astonished at what
had happened.

"The first thing to do is to clear the wreck," cried Nettleship, and he
called the men aft; while I ran down to get up some axes which we had
seen in the cabin.

When I returned on deck, to my surprise I found that the wind had
suddenly fallen. The brig had been struck by a white squall, which
frequently occurs in the Mediterranean, and either whips the masts out
of a vessel, or sends her to the bottom.

We accordingly, under Nettleship's directions, began hauling the masts
alongside, to obtain such spars as we could that might serve us to form
jury-masts. We could scarcely hope, with the limited strength we
possessed, to get the masts on deck. We were thus employed till dark.
We had saved the spars and some of the sails, though it was rather
difficult to avoid staving in the boats, which had been lowered that we
might effect our object. The weather might again change, and it was
important to get up jury-masts as soon as possible.

During the night, however, we could do but little, as the men required
rest. One half, therefore, were allowed to turn in. The night was as
calm as the greater part of the day had been. At dawn we all turned out
and set to work. We were thus employed, when I saw several sail
standing down towards us, and bringing a breeze with them. I pointed
them out to Nettleship.

"It's to be hoped the wind will continue moderate," he said, "or we may
be driven nearer to the African coast than may be pleasant."

We were at this time just out of sight of land, to the northward of
Algiers. As the ships got nearer, we made them out to be a large fleet,
several being line-of-battle ships, others frigates, and vess